


The Choice

by onereyofstarlight



Category: Thunderbirds
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Feels, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-06-03
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:55:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24143959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onereyofstarlight/pseuds/onereyofstarlight
Summary: Post Jeff's disappearance, Scott and Grandma have a conversation about how International Rescue can move forwards.
Kudos: 13





	The Choice

The sea crashed against the jagged rocks far below the villa, unheard by the kitchen’s sole occupant. The sound echoed around him and the warm breeze ruffled his hair.

Behind him, a dim light clicked on. It wasn’t until a wavering hand skated against his bare forearm that Scott started, cognizant of the world around him again.

“It does no good to fret, Scott.” Grandma Tracy’s eyes were soft, but she met his gaze with equal determination.

“I’m not fretting.”

“Could have fooled me, kid.”

“I’m not a kid either.”

Grandma Tracy shook her head.

“Youth isn’t the weakness you think it is.”

Scott scoffed, before falling back into his silent reverie.

She hummed in the night, filling the silence with a quiet melody. She would wait for him.

“She won’t even talk to me.” The words were bitter and heavy on his tongue. “She looks right past me when I’m in the room. Would it kill her to acknowledge my presence?”

“She thinks she’s protecting you.”

“From what? What more does she have to protect me from? Does she think I don’t know what it’s like to lose a parent? She keeps stringing us along with all this false hope, and I’m tired of being talked to like I was a teenager.”

Scott exhaled heavily and scrubbed at his eyes.

“She wants to be sure. I want to be sure too. If Jeff really is…”

A wavering crack brought Scott’s arms flew immediately to steady his grandmother.

“I’m sorry, Grandma.” His voice was small, at odds with the way he towered over her.

“It’s not your fault, Scott. It’s no-one’s fault.”

The silence they held between them was a fragile thing, an uneasy ceasefire of emotion.

“Colonel Casey knows that without your Dad, International Rescue’s future is uncertain,” said Grandma Tracy finally. “She doesn’t want to approach you when your training has really only just ended, but at the same time the GDF already rely too heavily on us. She can’t afford to lose you, but she can’t afford to give you the same free rein your Dad had either.”

Scott’s lips thinned.

“Then it is about my age. I’ve been out of training for three years now, that’s…”

“…not as much experience as you think it is, Scott.” She sighed. “It had to happen eventually, but this was too soon. It’s not a fair burden to place on your shoulders.”

“I can handle it,” said Scott, swiftly. “If that’s what she’s worried about, I can do it.”

“It’s not about if you can, it’s if you should.”

“Of course I should. Who else?” demanded Scott. “Grandma, you know I’m right. You can run comms for a time, until John’s space rated. Virgil and I can do the heavy lifting. We can’t leave people suffering out there, not knowing we have the means. International Rescue is a symbol of hope, we can’t snatch that away from them at the first sign of trouble.”

Grandma Tracy smiled. There was no joy in her eyes, only a sad wistfulness.

“You sound just like him. Ready to take on the world.”

Scott bowed his head, staring at his hands. He spoke so quietly, that Grandma Tracy had to strain to hear every word.

“Dad would never forgive me if I didn’t. I don’t have a choice, even if I wanted one.”

“That’s not true, Scott. There is always a choice.”

“Between doing good and doing nothing? C’mon Grandma, there’s no choice in that.”

Her eyes shone in the dim light.

“Spoken like a true Tracy.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Cross posted from Tumblr, original posted on 03/05/2020


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